Valve and operating mechanism therefor



March 22, 1966 H, A, MAY()y JR 3,241,568

VALVE AND OPERATING MECHANISM THEREFOR Original Filed Sept. ll. 1962United States Patent O is. Continuation of application Ser. No. 222,791,Sept. 11, 1962. This application Sept. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 396,464 2Claims. (Cl. 137-601) This invention pertains in general to hydraulicvalves and more particularly to a butterfly type of valve, however,difering therefrom in that the present valve has a pair of swinging halfsections which are opened and closed to permit or interrupt the ilow ofliuid through a confined path and is a continuation of applicationSerial No. 222,- 791, filed September 11, 1962, by Howard A. Mayo, lr.,entitled Valve and Operating Mechanism Therefor, now abandoned.

One of the main problems in designing a valve of the rotating or pivotaltype, such as ball or butterfly valves, is providing an adequate sealabout the valve trunnion, that is, the pivot shaft of the valve. Sincethis shaft must extend without the fluid confining path so that a valveoperator may be attached thereto, it is necessary to provide a sealbetween the rotating shaft and the stationary valve housing. This hascaused considerable difliculty and expense and numerous designs havebeen directed to this particular sealing problem.

It is a general object of the subject invention to provide a valvehaving a pair of pivotal valve disks wherein the operating mechanism forthe valve does not require a rotatable member to extend without thetluid flow path.

A further object of the subject invention is to provide a valve of thehereinbefore described type wherein the operating mechanism ispositioned within the lluid ow path.

A more specific object of the subject invention is to provide a valve ofthe hereinbefore described type wherein the valve operating mechanism isattached to the individual valve disks and operates the disks byexerting a pushing and pulling force thereon.

A further object is to provide a valve having a very flat o1 narrowwidth in the flow direction so the valve will occupy only a minimum ofspace in the low path.

An additional object of the subject invention is to provide a valve ofthe hereinbefore described type wherein the valve operating mechanism isconnected to each valve disk through a scissors type linkage arrangementwherein linear movement of the valve operator results in a pivotingmovement of the valve disks.

These and other objects of the subject invention will become more fullyapparent when the following description is read in light of the attacheddrawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a plan View of a hydraulic installation showing the novelvalve and Valve operating mechanism in closed position in solid linesand one valve disk in the open position shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the hydraulic installation taken at rightangles to the cross section shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an end view ofthe hydraulic installation taken at right anglesto both FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 shows a portion of FIG. 2 taken along the lines IV-IV.

Referring to the drawings, the subject invention is shown for purposesof illustration as being encased in concrete and includes a waterconfining pipe or passsage generally designated 6. The end of the pipemay be ared out into a throat 7 to correspond substantially to the sizeof closure members or valve disks 8 and 9.

Each valve disk is shown herein for purposes of illustra- ICC tion asbeing individually pivotally mounted in pivot support brackets 13 and 14rigidly connected to the foundation structure in any conventional mannersuch as by bolts 11 and 12. Each valve disk is preferably identical inconfiguration and as herein shown for purposes of illustration isprovided with a vertically disposed support member 16. Both ends of thesupport members 16 may be drilled and reamed to receive pivot pins 17and 18. These pivot pins may be rigidly connected to the pivot supportbrackets 13 and 14 in any conventional manner such as by welding. Withthis particular type of arrangement, the valve may be assembled bypositioning the valve disks 8 and 9 in the lower pivot support brackets14 on the pins 18. The pivot pins 17 are then inserted into the upperreamed openings of the support 4members 16 and the pivot supportbrackets 13 may then be bolted to the concrete casing. The weight ofeach disk may be carried by the lower pivot pins 18 or bearing collarsmay be provided at the lower ends of the supports 16.

It should be understood that this is only one suggested arrangement forconnecting the valve disks for pivotal movement and any number ofdifferent types of pivotal connections may be employed without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. An apparent alternate arrangementwould be to provide a single vertically disposed support member 16 withthe valve disks 8 and 9 connected to this single support in the mannerof a hinge. The particular manner of supporting the valve disks forpivotal movement is not considered a part of the invention and theindividual mounting of each valve disk is shown herein for purposes ofillustration only.

Each valve disk may be provided with a face 19 which may be of platesteel and is rigidly connected in any conventional way, such as bywelding, to one side of each support 16. The conguration of each valvedisk corresponds to half of the size of the outlet or ared portion 7 ofthe tube 6. In the preferred embodiment as herein shown for purposes ofillustration only, each valve disk is formed in the shape of a halfcircle. Horizontally disposed ribs 21 are rigidly connected to eachvalve disk 8 and 9 and the supports 16 to provide added strengththereto.

Each valve disk face 19 is provided with a seal 22 which may be of anyconventional form and is herein shown as a strip of resilient materialconnected to the axially disposed face of each valve disk about theperiphery thereof. A valve seating surface 23 is provided about thetiared outlet 7 of the tube 6 and is attached to an annular flange orshoulder member 20. In order to affect a seal between the supports 16,two vertical support ribs 24 and 26 are provided. As shown in FIG. 4,the ends of ribs 24 and 26 are spaced apart a distance substantiallyparallel to the spacing between supports 16 and are joined by a sealingsurface 25. This surface 25 mates with vertically disposed resilientseal portions 27 disposed along the vertical center sections of thevalve disks to provide a fluid tight seal between the supports 16.

On one side of the valve and in the water path is a vertically disposedsupport pier generally designated 28. The portion of this support pierfacing the valve disks is provided with a streamlined configuration soas not to impart turbulence to the flow of water thereby. Supportedwithin this pier is a valve operating mechanism herein shown as aconventional servomotor 29. The servomotor 29 is composed of a cylinder31 having a piston therein and may be of the conventional double actinghydraulic type. An axially disposed opening through the pier 28 providesaccess to the servomotor 29 and also provides an opening through whichthe servomotor piston rod 32 extends.

To the free end of the piston rod 32 are pivotally connected twoconnecting links 33 and 34. The remote end of each of the connectinglinks 33 and 34 is pivotally connected to a valve disk. This connectionmay be of any conventional type and as herein shown for purposes ofilllustration each valve disk is provided with spaced brackets orjournals 36 and 37 having aligned pivot pin receiving openings therein.The ends of the Connecting links 33 and 34 are positioned between thespaced brackets 36 and 37 land are provided with openings therethroughin which are received pivot pins which are held in the brackets in any`conventional manner.

Pressurized fluid from a source (not shown) is delivered to the doubleacting servornotor cylinder 31 through the fluid lines 38 and 39. Whenit is desired to close the valve, fluid is admitted through the line 39causing the piston rod 32 to extend and pivot both valve disks into aclosed Iposition as shown in solid lines in the drawings. The seal 22 oneach valve disk is forced against the complementary seating surface 23at the end of the flared portion 7 of the pipe and fluid ow through thepipe 6 is interrupted. When it is desired to open the valve, L

pressurized fluid is admitted through the line 38 to the forward portionof the servomotor cylinder 31 causing the piston rod 32 to move to theright drawing each valve disk away from the respective seating surfaceand into the position shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1. It is preferredthat the forward configuration of the support pier 28 blend with theconfiguration of the valve disks 8 and 9 and be positioned closelyadjacent to the disks when they are in the open position so as not tocreate turbulence in the fluid.

With this arrangement, no rotating parts are required to pass withoutthe water path and the most difficult sealing problem in a rotary valveis, therefore, overcome. Furthermore, because of the positioning of thevalve operating mechanism axially and centrally of the i Valve disks,the large torque or twisting forces that are normally imparted to thepivot aXis of the valve in conventional types of valve operatingmechanisms have been overcome. This overcomes the necessity of providinglarge trunnions for the valve disk to pivot on and hence reduces thethickness of both the valve disks and body. Since the valve disks may bequite narrow, they do not present much of a flow obstruction when in theopen position, Furthermore, since large trunnions are not necessary,this valve has, in effect, overcome the need of a valve body, the onlyequivalent structure being the brackets 13 and 14 and the seatingsurfaces 23 and 25.

Although only one embodiment of the subject invention has been shown anddescribed herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art afterreading this description that various modifications may be made theretowithout departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in theclaims appended hereto.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and the manner in which it is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim iS:

1. A valve structure for controlling fluid ow through a uid confiningpassage comprising: a shoulder member having a throat therethrough, saidmember including a transverse element extending across said throat atsubstantially the midportion thereof; a pair of disks in said throat;means pivotally connecting said disks to said trans` verse element forswinging movement between open and closed positions to permit andinterrupt, respectively, the dow of fluid through said throat; saidtransverse elements and disks being constructed and arranged so that thedisks lie in juxtaposition along the flow axis of the flow passage whenthey are fully opened; a support pier positioned in said fluid confiningpassage, said pier being spaced from said transverse element a distancesubstantially equal to the pivot radius of said disk and having athickness substantially equal to the combined thickness of said diskswhen the disks are fully opened; a valve operator mounted on saidsupport pier in substantial alignment with said transverse element andincluding a member capable of movement toward and away from said disks;and a pair of links each having a corresponding end pivotally connectedto a valve disk and the other ends pivotally connected to said member tocause said disks to open and close as said actuating member is moved,the ends of said valve disks adjacent said support pier and said supportpier being constructed and arranged to form a smooth substantiallycontinuous surface when said disks are in the open position to lessenturbulence in the fiuid flowing thereby.

2. The valve structure set forth in claim l wherein the adjacent end ofsaid support pier is tapered and nestled between said valve disks whensaid disks are in the open position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,659,880 2/1928Kauffman 251-212 2,320,007 5/1943 Otto 98-40 2,938,533 5/1960 Jensen etal. 137-219 ISADOR WEIL, Primary Examiner.

MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Examiner.

1. A VALVE STRUCTURE FOR CONTROLLING FLUID FLOW THROUGH A FLUIDCONFINING PASSAGE COMPRISING: A SHOULDER MEMBER HAVING A THROATTHERETHROUGH, SAID MEMBER INCLUDING A TRANSVERSE ELEMENT EXTENDINGACROSS SAID THROAD AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE MIDPORTION THEREOF; A PAIR OFDISKS IN SAID THROAT; MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID DISKS TO SAIDTRANSVERSE ELEMENT FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSEPOSITIONS TO PERMIT AND INTERRUPT, RESPECTIVELY, THE FLOW OF FLUIDTHROUGH SAID THROAT; SAID TRANSVERSE ELEMENTS AND DISKS BEINGCONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED SO THAT THE DISKS LIE IN JUXTAPOSITION ALONGTHE FLOW AXIS OF THE FLOW PASSAGE WHEN THE ARE FULLY OPENED; A SUPPORTPIER POSITIONED IN SAID FLUID CONFINING PASSAGE, SAID PIER BEING SPACEDFROM SAID TRANSVERSE ELEMENT A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE PIVOTRADIUS OF SAID DISK AND HAVING A THICKNESS SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THECOMBINED THICKNESS OF SAID DISKS WHEN THE DISKS ARE FULLY OPENED; AVALVE OPERATOR MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT PIER IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENTWITH SAID TRANSVERSE ELEMENT AND INCLUDING A MEMBER CAPABLE OF MOVEMENTTOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID DISKS; AND A PAIR OF LINKS EACH HAVING ACORRESPONDING END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO A VALVE DISK AND THE OTHER ENDSPIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBER TO CAUSE SAID DISKS TO OPEN AND CLOSEAS SAID MEMBER IS MOVED, THE ENDS OF SAID VALVE DISKS ADJACENT SAIDSUPPORT PIER AND SAID SUPPORT PIER BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TOFORM A SMOOTH SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS SURFACE WHEN SAID DISKS ARE INTHE OPEN POSITION TO LESSEN TURBULENCE IN THE FLUID FLOWING THEREBY.